In recent years, in order for a user to later view a program that the user forgot to view or record (forgot-to-view program), a mechanism (forgot-to-view program distribution), in which a TV station or the like installs a server that stores broadcasted programs and distributes the programs to the user through the Internet or the like, has been studied and attempted.
An example of a known method for receiving a program that a viewer forgot to view includes a system in which when the viewer designates a program that the viewer forgot to view, rebroadcast of the program is automatically searched, and the viewer receives the rebroadcast.
Hereinafter, a conventional reception method of a forgot-to-view program described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-200882 will be described.
FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a network configuration applicable to a rebroadcasting program recording designation system of a conventional invention. As shown in FIG. 19, the rebroadcasting program recording designation system comprises: a cell phone 810 of a registered user; a communication provider-side apparatus 820 that intermediates transfer of data between the cell phone 810 and Internet 860; a service center 830 managed by a service provider that performs services such as an individual broadcasting program guide service (hereinafter, also called a broadcasting program guide service provider); TV broadcasting stations 840 (a plurality of); a home 850 of the registered user comprising a recording apparatus 851, a TV receiver 852, and the like; and the Internet 860 that connects the cell phone 810, the communication provider-side apparatus 820, the service center 830, the home 850 of the registered user, and the like.
The communication provider-side apparatus 820 comprises a base station 821 and a mobile communication control station 822.
Furthermore, the provider of services, such as a broadcasting program guide service, obtains program guide data of each channel from the plurality of TV broadcasting stations 840 and periodically, or on an as needed basis, registers the program guide data in a database 832 of the service center 830.
The registered user activates the cell phone 810 to connect the cell phone 810 with a broadcasting program guide service server 831 of the service center 830 through the communication provider-side apparatus 820 and the Internet 860. Then, the registered user selects a “Rebroadcasting Program Recording Instruction” menu in a selection menu displayed, immediately after the connection, on the screen of the cell phone 810 and selects the date and channel that the forgot-to-view program is broadcasted.
Next, when the user designates a forgot-to-view program from a plurality of past programs in the designated date and designated channel displayed on the cell phone 810, the cell phone (cell phone of rebroadcasting program designation request source) 810 transmits identification information of the designated forgot-to-view program to the service center 830 through the communication provider-side apparatus 820 and the Internet 860. The method of designation is an example, and a program name may be directly designated.
When the identification information of the forgot-to-view program is received from the cell phone 810, the broadcasting program guide service server 831 of the service center 830 searches the program guide data registered in the database 832, and if there is a rebroadcasting program, transmits the program information to the cell phone 810 of the rebroadcasting program recording request source. An example of the search method of rebroadcasting program data includes a method of searching program databases of TV broadcasting stations or program databases provided from the TV broadcasting stations, or rebroadcasting date/time information may be attached to the program information. When one program of cable TV or the like is repeatedly broadcasted for a number of times, a comparison chart of program name and broadcasting date/time is often prepared.
The cell phone 810 of the rebroadcasting program recording request source displays the received rebroadcasting program information, and when the user performs a recording instruction operation, transmits a recording instruction to the broadcasting program guide service server 831.
As a result, the broadcasting program guide service server 831 transmits a recording reservation setting instruction including the rebroadcasting program information (such as broadcasting time and channel information of the rebroadcasting program) to the recording apparatus 851 of the user of the cell phone 810 of the rebroadcasting program recording request source through the Internet 860.
When the broadcasting time comes, the recording apparatus 851 of the user of the cell phone 810 of the rebroadcasting program reservation request source receives a rebroadcasting program to be broadcasted from the TV broadcasting station 840 of the reserved channel and records the rebroadcasting program in an installed recording medium.
Furthermore, as a trigger for viewing a forgot-to-view program, other than when the user notices and views the program, there is a system of displaying a reminder on a local two-way TV program guide indicating that the user has missed viewing a pay-per-view program, when there is a program that the user has forgot to view, in a pay-per-view system in which the user pays viewing fees for the amount of viewing (National Publication of International Patent Application No. 2002-521874).